Colorado wolf dies in Grand County, the 2nd mortality in one week from reintroduced species
Three wolves have died since being reintroduced, but Colorado Parks and Wildlife said this is to be expected
Jerry Neal/Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Another of the male wolves reintroduced to Colorado has died in Grand County.
This marks the third wolf death since in December 2023 and the second mortality this month.
The wildlife agency received a mortality signal from the GPS collar on wolf 2307 on Monday, Sept. 9, and confirmed the death on Tuesday.
“While this is sad news, these types of restoration efforts consider anticipated mortalities in our planning and a degree of wolf mortality, just like for any wildlife, is expected both during restoration efforts and on an ongoing basis,” stated Jeff Davis, director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, in a press release.
The agency is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the next steps, including an investigation into the cause of death. Joe Szuszwalak, a spokesperson with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said no additional details will be available until a necropsy and investigation is completed.
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The wolf was found in Grand County, where Parks and Wildlife staff are also investigating possible livestock killings that occurred after the capture of the Copper Creek Pack. Local ranchers believe three calves were killed by a wolf.
“(Colorado Parks and Wildlife) has received a report of a possible wolf depredation in Grand County. Local staff are conducting a field investigation,” read a statement from the wildlife agency on Tuesday, Sept. 10.
This news comes shortly after the death of the adult male wolf in the Copper Creek Pack. The male, 2309, died in captivity following relocation operations on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Parks and Wildlife announced the death on Monday, Sept. 9.
The wolf had been captured as part of an operation to move the Copper Creek Pack from Grand County following numerous livestock killings attributed to the pack. When captured, the male had several injuries to its right hind leg, including deep puncture wounds and an infection. Parks and Wildlife biologists administered antibiotics to the wolf for an infection related to the leg injury, but he died four days later in captivity.
While the agency is conducting a full necropsy to determine the cause of the injury, Eric Odell, Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s wolf conservation program manager, told press on Monday that it was “probably another carnivore-type animal attack” and likely not a human-related injury. The results of the necropsy will be released in 45 to 60 days.
The first death among Colorado’s reintroduced wolves occurred in mid-April following a mountain lion attack.
This brings Colorado’s total count of gray wolves to 13. This number includes nine adult wolves 鈥� two of which were in Colorado prior to the start of its reintroduction efforts 鈥� and four pups from the Copper Creek Pack. These pups are currently being held in captivity with their mother. Parks and Wildlife will be looking to release the pups back to the wild once they are fully grown later this year. The agency has yet to make a decision on whether the adult female will also be released.
In Monday’s press conference, Davis addressed the recent challenges in its reintroduction efforts.
“We’re learning a lot about this,” he said. “Wolf restoration is inherently challenging and difficult, and we’re in year one. 鈥� I’m not concerned about the overall success of the program.”
Davis added that the state is still on track to reintroduce 10 to 15 more wolves a year for the next three to five years, per its gray wolf management plan.
Having more wolves “helps create that stable foundation from which the population will grow into a sustainable population through time,” Davis said. “We’re diligently working to find and finalize sources for the next few years.”
The more wolves are reintroduced, the more management flexibility the agency has, Davis added.
“My fear would be that we continue to see reductions in the numbers that we currently have out there and put the entire implementation of the law in jeopardy moving forward,” he said.
